Picked fiber cement siding over vinyl for my bungalow redo

I spent two weeks going back and forth on siding for my 1920s bungalow in Decatur. Vinyl was way cheaper, like $8,000 less for the whole job, and the contractor said it would be done in a week. But I kept reading that fiber cement holds paint better and lasts longer in our humid summers. I went with the fiber cement and the install took almost three weeks because they had to cut everything on site. It cost me $15,200 total and I'm still finding dust in my driveway. But after the first big storm last week, I saw zero damage on the boards and my neighbor's vinyl had a crack already. Anyone else wrestle with this choice for their old house?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth44213d ago

Couldn't agree more man. I went through the same thing on my craftsman and the first guy I called bragged about how fast he could slap it up - nope, no way. Found a crew that actually read the HardiePlank manual and yeah it took forever but I've had zero issues through two winters now. Makes you wonder why people rush through something that's supposed to last 30 years just to save a week.

viola17113d ago

and here's the thing nobody talks about with fiber cement - you gotta be real careful about who installs it. my buddy went with a crew that usually does vinyl and they didn't pre-drill the holes for the nails (you know, to avoid cracking the boards during expansion) and now he's got these hairline cracks showing up after every freeze. it's not just about picking the material, it's about finding someone who actually knows how to work with the stuff. your three week install sounds like they were taking their time doing it right, which honestly might be worth the extra dust and headache.